1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to antiwrinkle cosmetic or dermatological compositions containing polymers with a "tightening" effect combined with dendritic polyesters, a method of cosmetic treatment using these compositions as well as the use of the combination of a film-forming polymeric system having a "tightening" effect and a dendritic polyester for the manufacture of cosmetic or dermatological compositions intended for reducing and/or removing wrinkles and/or fine lines on the skin by a tightening effect.
2. Discussion of the Background
The process of skin ageing is accompanied by a gradual modification of the skin structure and functions. The principal clinical signs of skin ageing are the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, which increase with age.
It is known to correct these signs of ageing by using cosmetic or dermatological compositions that contains active ingredients such as .alpha.-hydroxy acids, .beta.-hydroxy acids and retinoids. These active ingredients are believed to act on the wrinkles by eliminating the dead cells and by accelerating the process of cell renewal. However, the visible effect of these compositions occurs only after a certain period of application, which may range from a few days to several weeks.
One approach for solving this problem consists in using so-called "tightening" agents which, through an effect of tightening of the superficial layer of the skin, are capable of making the skin smooth by reducing the number and depth of the wrinkles and fine lines and of making fatigue marks disappear, this being achieved instantly.
The "tightening agents" noted above are polymers of natural or synthetic origin which are capable of forming a film which causes the retraction of the stratum corneum, the superficial horny layer of the epidermis.
The cosmetic or dermatological use of such polymeric systems to attenuate the effects of skin ageing is described in Patent Applications FR-2,758,083 and FR-2,758,084. These tightening polymeric systems, though very effective and rapid, sometimes cause, nevertheless, a feeling of discomfort in some users, in particular those having fragile skin. These tightening agents indeed form on the skin a film which is too rigid and not very flexible. The problem of seeking to obtain a high tightening effect by using smaller quantities of tightening polymers was thus posed.
The Applicant has discovered, surprisingly, that by combining dendritic polyesters with terminal hydroxyl groups which, by themselves, have no epidermis-tightening power, with known polymeric tightening systems, it is possible to significantly reinforce the tightening effect of the latter.